Could You Ever Hate Me?
by TattooedCross
Summary: A day at work turns into a nightmare. Hostage Alert.[complete]
1. Rare Days And Mothering Ways

" Could You Ever Hate Me?"

Disclaimer: None of the CSIs are mine, no matter how hard I try...

Rating: PG-13 for vilolence, some language, alcohol refrerence

Summary: A day at work turns in to a nightmare. Hostage Alert.

Chapter 1: Rare Days and Mothering Ways

The day was bright and the weather cool. A soft wind blew in from the east, cooling down the city of Las Vegas. Greg Sanders was jealous. He would give anything to be outside, enjoying the rare day.

Instead, he was in the lab, back logged with work. He had several testes to run and results to document. Nick Stokes and Catherine Willows would be coming in soon to ask for results on the samples he hadn't run yet. He had to pick up his pace in order to finish by break.

" Priorities first," Greg thought aloud to himself. He turned up his music a bit louder and got down to work. He started to pick up his pace to finish. Maybe if he got lucky, he would be able to enjoy some of the day while on break. If he didn't finish, though, he would have to work right through his break.

He counted out loud to himself each time he finished another test.

" One down, nine to go."

" Two down, eight to go."

Catherine Willows walked to the door of Greg's lab. She watched him run tests and count out loud, while he was singing to his music. She laughed at his goofy sight; he was banging his head to the music, his spiked hair bouncing with the music. She laughed even though it happened often. It was strange to everyone not to see him do his act. Even so, it was still funny to watch.

She watched him often. Not because she had to, but because she wanted to. Some people said she was the mother of the CSIs. She cared for all of them, even the sternbut curious Gil Grissom. But Greg had caught her attention from the day his nervous little face with the clashing clothes walked through the doors. Maybe it was because he was a lot younger than the rest of the team. Something about him struck her and she watched him ever since.

She walked through the doors after a few minutes of his first and second acts. She turned off his music and the room became very quiet. Greg whipped around to the radio to come face to face with Catherine.

" Catherine, you scared me," Greg said with a sheepish smile.

" Sorry, didn't mean to. I was wondering if you had my results," she said.

" Not quite yet. But," he said rolling his chair over to the printer, " if you wait, I'll have them right…now."

Greg handed the warm paper over to Catherine after reading the results.

" The hair did not belong to your vics, but to an unknown person," Greg read.

" Well, hmm… I guess I'm going to have to go back to the drawing board," she said.

" Or you could go back to the house," Greg joked.

Catherine smiled at his joke and thanked him for the results. She walked out of the lab and waved goodbye. Greg sighed and went back to work. He had enjoyed the company while it had lasted.


	2. Unwanted House Guests

Chapter 2: Unwanted House Guests

Shift was coming to an end, and with the exception of the nightshift, everyone else had left. There was an eerie silence through the building. Even Greg's music could not be heard. It wasn't an awkward moment, though, as it happened often.

Suddenly two men came busting through the doors, guns in hand. One man locked the door and chained it shut. The other went looking for hostages.

Sara heard the commotion and looked down the hallway. She saw a tall man walking down towards her, looking her in the eyes. She backed away from the door, hoping that he would not find her. She stood by the filing cabinets and watched as the man entered the room. At first he did not see her and continued to look around the lab. But he spotted her and grabbed her arms. The tall man dragged her to another room, the lounge, and handcuffed her to a chair.

" You won't be going anywhere now will you, little missy?" he said with a sneer.

He walked out leaving her alone in the darkness.

Butterflies filled her stomach when it finally hit her that they were all in trouble.

" What the hell? Let me go!" shouted someone. She recognized the voice as Nick's. Another man came in with the squirming Nick.

" Stop moving around or I'll shoot you," the new man threatened.

Nick stopped moving and let himself be shacked to the chair. Within a couple minutes, the entire nightshift was handcuffed in the lounge. Each person's face was full of fear and bewilderment. The room was deathly quiet, except for the muttering between the two kidnappers.

Grissom finally gained the courage to speak to the kidnappers.

" What do you want from us?" he asked.

There was no response from either man. Grissom asked again.

" What do you want from us?" Grissom raised his voice slightly, trying to get the attention of the men.

" Shut up. You want to know why you're here, Mr. Grissom? Do you remember me? Or my brother? Does James Benedict ring a bell? You put my brother away for a stupid crime and made our lives a living hell. You ruined our lives. We can't go anywhere with out someone recognizing us. So now that Richard's out, we decided to pay you and your team a little visit, if that okay with you Mr. Grissom," James said, his voice full of resentment and hate.

" Look," Grissom started.

James interrupted Grissom, " There is no look, Mr. Grissom. You are just going to have to pay the price."

With that, James and Richard left the room. Grissom looked at his team who where confused at what had happened.

" What… What the hell just happened?" Nick asked.

" What are going to do?" Sara asked.

They all looked at Grissom for an answer. But Grissom had no answer for them, no words of wisdom, or assurances: just a blank stare that scared all of them.

Warrick had heard about Richard before. He remembered Grissom's case. Warrick had only been at the lab for a year and was still relatively new to everything. Grissom had been irritated at the case because the scene had been clean. No prints, no hair, just the smell of bleach had filled the air. He was so close to giving up until he found a witness, who helped identify Richard and put him away for several years. Warrick had heard that when Richard went to court, he had no remorse for what he had done, and just smiled when the verdict came in.

It was some time before either James or Richard came back in. They came in with some equipment in hand.

" What are you doing with those?" Grissom asked.

" Wouldn't you like to know? I guess you just have to wait and see," James said.

Grissom gave up trying to get anything out of them men.

"Mmhmm," the team heard them say.

Richard walked over to Greg and took off his handcuffs. Greg looked over to Grissom with a confused look.

" You're coming with me," Richard said, pulling Greg along.

" Lay your hands off him," Nick said.

" I told you, I would shoot you, don't think I won't" Richard threatened again.

Nick shut his mouth and watched as Richard took Greg out of the room.

James walked over to Catherine, who stiffened in her seat, and took the handcuffs of her as well. She realized that she would also be leaving the group and hoped she would at least be with Greg. She had a sick feeling in her stomach and her knees shook as James led her out of the room. They walked down the hallway to conference room. James stopped her outside of the room and did not go in. She looked inside and saw Greg sitting on the floor, huddled in a corner. Richard was standing next to him his fist raised ready to fight. Suddenly it grew dark. James put a blindfold over Catherine and led her inside the room. James pushed her down against the wall and she hit her head against it.

Then she heard a scream. It was Greg. She could hear a fist hitting something, and Catherine knew it had to be Greg. She reached up to pull the blindfold down but was stopped by James.

"Don't think about it," he whispered.

There was another scream and then another. Catherine couldn't bear to hear him plead for them to stop.

" STOP!" she yelled.

One of the men slapped her across the face and swore. Catherine's face burned like fire from the slap. Richard ripped the blindfold off and both men left the room, locking it behind them.

Catherine looked at Greg and saw him laying on the ground his mouth and nose bleeding freely. He had his hand over his head, as if to try and stop being hit. He was crying out of fear and pain. His sobs shook his whole body.

Catherine's stomach dropped at the sight of him crying. She scooted over to him and held him in her arms. Greg cried into her shoulders like a small child.

" Shh," Catherine soothed, brushing her hands through his hair, " you'll be okay, I promise."

Greg wiped away the blood from his face with his shirt, turning the once white shirt a dark crimson color. He rubbed the back of his head and found a large lump. He felt it and winced. His hand was red with blood from the wound on his head. He became light headed and passed out. Catherine tried to wake him."

" Greg, hon, you gotta wake up," she said, shaking him slightly.

There was no response from Greg. Catherine sighed and hoped to god that someone would come and let them out.


	3. Is This The End?

Chapter 3: Is This The End?

Nick sat impatiently in his seat, fidgeting every time he heard a scream. It pained him to know that his friend and almost little brother was hurt and he couldn't do anything about it.

" What in the hell are they doing to the kid?" Warrick questioned with a sharp severity in his tone. Grissom looked towards Warrick, surprised to hear such a tone from him.

The screams finally stopped and Nick let out a sigh of relief. He could finally breathe easier knowing that they had stopped. At least he hoped they had stopped.

The lab became quiet again and the fear of what was going to happen next returned.

Grissom was scared. For one of the few times in his life, he was truly scared, not just for himself, that would be selfish. He was scared for all of them. Gil heard footsteps and saw Richard and James walking to the lounge. Gil watched the others stiffen in their chairs. Only something bad could happen now, Grissom could tell.

James walked in to the room and smiled.

"Greg's a real trooper, ain't he? You heard his screams didn't you?" James said with a smile. " It was quite amusing to say the least."

Warrick had enough. The anger in him had finally boiled over and had washed over him.

" You shut the hell up. Bastard. You don't know anything about Greg. He's one of the best damn people we have here. You don't know what you're talking about," Warrick yelled.

" Really? You think that? You should have been there. Crying for mercy, crying like a little baby. One of your best? And he can't even stand up for himself. How can he stand up for anyone else? How funny you think that. How do think about this?" James said, whipping out his gun.

James fired two shots, managing to hit Warrick. He gasped for air as one of the bullets struck his chest. The force knock Warrick's chair over and he fell to the floor, unconscious.

Sara screamed and Nick yelled.

" Now, does anyone have anything else they wish to add while I'm still here?" James asked.

No one answered his question, just remained quiet.

" That's what I thought," James replied to his question. He walked out of the room, leaving the stunned CSIs to deal on their own.

Grissom sat still, taken aback at what had happened.

" This could be the end," he thought to himself. " This could be the end for all of us."

Two tears fell from Grissom's eyes and slowly made their way down his face. Sara watched in amazement and sadness as the two tears fell from his face to the floor. She knew that they might not get out with their lives. She realized what Grissom was thinking and she felt the same way. The only feeling left in her was numbness. Her whole body was numb. Cold. Nothing in the world mattered to her anymore.


	4. I Forgot

Chapter 4: I Forgot

Catherine and Greg had been in the lab over three hours. She had heard people trying to open the building's doors, only to find them locked. The chins rattled with each pull. She had become very edgy, jumping at each little sound made. She wondered when the kidnappers would be coming back.

Greg was still unconscious, lying on Catherine's lap. She stroked his hair and hoped that he would be okay. The blood from his head stopped and dried on his shirt and hers as well. His nose was purple and probably broken from the blows. His lip was fat with blood still on them.

Greg started to wake up from unconsciousness. He lifted his head and looked at Catherine. His head pounded with a headache and he winced at its pain.

" What's going on? Where are we?" he asked. He looked at her with a puzzled look.

" We've been taken hostage at work," she explained.

"All…All of us?" he asked.

She nodded her head in a yes and had a depressed look on her face. Greg put his face in his hands and shook his head, as if not believing it.

At that very moment, Richard came back in the room.

" Well, hello young man. It's nice to see you not screaming," Richard said with a short laugh.

Greg looked at Catherine, who shook her head and told him to forget about it.

" Forget about it? Why should he forget about it? He should know, he is a man, for the most part anyway," Richard asked.

Catherine did not answer him. Her silence aggravated him.

"Answer me!" Richard growled.

Catherine shook her head indicating she had no answer. Richard walked up to her and yanked her off the floor. He held her against the wall by her throat. Greg jumped up to protect her, but Richard just pushed him back down.

" Don't make a mockery of me! If I tell you to answer me, then you answer me! You got it?" Richard shouted.

"Yeah," Catherine managed to whisper.

" Good," he said, letting go of his grip on her. " Kid, you're coming with me."

Richard grabbed Greg by the wrists and took him out of the room. Greg looked behind himself looking at Catherine, as if pleading for her to make him stop. Catherine nodded her head, motioning for him to go with him. Greg didn't want to go, he didn't want to go anywhere. He wanted everything to stop. He yelled at Richard.

" Stop! Just stop!" he yelled.

Richard pulled on Greg's arms harder, not wanting to deal with him.

" Let's go," Richard said.

" Greg, just go with him. Please," Catherine told him, almost insisting.

Greg looked at her again as if asking why. Catherine looked away from him, not wanting to see his pain. Greg let himself be dragged to another room.

Catherine sat down against the wall, feeling helpless. She wanted it to stop. She hoped Lindsay would not be mad. She hoped she understood.

"I'm sorry Lindsay. Please forgive me," she said aloud.

Catherine wanted to crawl up into a hole and die. She wished she could have done more to stop everything from happening. She dropped her head down and shook her head. She cried until her head hurt and she fell asleep, letting her dreams take her away from the drama.


	5. Arrivals

Chapter 5: Arrivals

Nick was sitting anxiously, waiting for something to happen. The doors had been rattling for an hour. People had been shouting at the doorand sirens whined.

James was getting nervous. He knew the end would come soon, but he was hoping in wouldn't be now. He started to pace around the room, avoiding the eyes of the CSIs. The phone started to ring and he jumped, taken back by the ring. He walked cautiously over to the phone, as if it would jump out at him. He picked up the phone and spoke.

" What do you want?" he asked.

The officer on the other line spoke, " Sir, my name is Sergeant Christine Davis. Is everything all right? I am here to help," the officer said.

" I don't need help. Everything is fine. You and your other officers can get the hell away from here," he said.

James slammed the phone down on to the rocker and swore to the CSIs. He walked out of the room, muttering out loud about nosy people. He went to find Richard to tell him the news.

Nick looked at Grissom, " Do you think that the cops will come in here soon?"

" I don't know Nicky. I hope so. But I don't know," Grissom said.

Neither of them was sure about anything. They weren't sure of how it was going to end, if Warrick would be all right, or if they would see Catherine or Greg again. Nick looked away from Grissom to the hallway. Maybe the men would be back with Catherine or Greg. Maybe the cops would break in and save them all. Life was full of maybes. Nick just wished that it wouldn't be maybe and instead a yes. He knew he was building his hopes up and was just waiting for the waves to break the wall down.


	6. A Price To Pay

Chapter 6: A Price To Pay

Greg was back in his lab sitting in his usual chair. But there was no loud music, no new cases, and no happiness.

He looked at Richard in half disgust and half amazement. Greg was scared for his life, scared for everyone. He hated Richard for abusing him, disgusted at the thought of someone torturing another.

Yet, he was still slightly intrigued by the fact that someone could come up with such and intricate plan, even to usefor harm.

" Human nature," Greg thought to himself, " at the moment of life and death at the hands of you captors, you're gonna feel this way."

Suddenly, James walked through the door. He walked over to Richard and muttered something to him. The only words Greg could make out were cops and phone. But by the look on Richard's face, Greg could tell he was not happy about it. Richard's eyes bugged out and he swore.

" What the hell do you mean the cops are on the phone? Did you tell them anything? I'm not going back to jail, you here me?" Richard yelled.

" So let's go to plan two," James told him.

Richard gave him a look of confusion, but then realized what it was.

" You," Richard said, pointing to Greg, " are going to help us."

" No way," Greg said, shaking his head.

" Well, you have no choice. You're gonna do it whether you like it or not." Richard told him.

Greg refused; he wouldn't help them hurt his friends, his family.

"I'm in no mood to play your games. You're gonna help!" Richard yelled, forcing his fist in to Greg's stomach. Greg doubled over in pain, his tears falling freely to the ground.

"Ah, c'mon, Greg. We're not going to go through this again, are we?" James mocked, " You're pathetic."

He grabbed the lab tech's arm and pulled him up. He whispered into his ear.

" You are the most pathetic person I have ever seen. Your friends think so too. Crying like a little baby. I congratulate you friends for putting up with you. They have half a mind to throw you out, like the trash."

" I don't believe you. I hate you!" Greg shouted at him.

" I don't care if you don't believe me. Nor do I care that you hate me," James told him.

" I hate you," Greg repeated, his voice growing smaller.

" Do you really hate me? Or do you hate the fact that my words are true, your friends do hate you," he questioned.

Greg made no reply but allowed himself to be taken over by the very fact of his friends hating him.

" Richard, get the device," James directed Richard.

Richard walked over to Greg's desk and opened it. He pulled out a small device, along with some duct tape and a knife. Greg flinched when he saw the knife and was scared that Richard would use it on him. James saw Greg flinch and laughed. Richard walked over to Greg and told him to hold still. Richard placed the device on Greg's arm and wrapped strips of duct tape over it, leaving a small window for the button. Richard took the knife and pushed it into the button, causing it to beep.

James took Greg's other arm and took him out of the room. Richards followed behind, holding to semi-automatic guns. They walked to the front door. James dropped Greg's arm and pulled out a key. He held the lock and put the key in. The chain fell to the ground with a thud. Richard gave James one of the guns and they led Greg outside.


	7. Put Your Weapons Down

Chapter 7: Put Your Weapons Down

When Greg and his captors stepped out, it was night still. What had seemed like a lifetime was only several hours.

Officers were everywhere in the parking lot. At the sight of the three men, the cops raised their weapons. Detective Brass held a megaphone up to speak to the men.

" Let go of the hostage and drop your weapons," he said.

" We'll hurt the kid if you and your cops don't leave," Richard yelled out to Brass. Richard brought his gun up a little higher to prove his point.

Brass gave the signal to lower the officer's weapons.

" Let's work this out, okay?" Brass asked.

" There is nothing to work out," Richard shouted.

He hit the button on Greg's arm. It started to beep continuously becoming faster and faster.

"If you don't leave, this building will blow up, killing everyone inside there," Richard threatened.

Brass shouted to some of the officers, " Go, and get out of here."

Richard's voice was monotone, " No, that's not enough. Not five, all of them. You have ten seconds,"

"One."

"Go get out of here."

"Two."

"Three."

"All of you get out of here."

" Four."

" Five."

"You to detective."

"Six."

"Seven."

"Greg, hit the button and save your friends. Be a hero."

"Eight"

"Nine."

Greg hit the button and the beeping stopped.

"Ten."

For a second, nothing happened. Then the north side of the building blew up. A huge explosion rocked the ground like an earthquake. Dust and debris made clouds in the air. Richard and James started shooting towards the cop cars. Greg hit the ground, covering his head. For several minutes, the shooting went on.

The shooting stopped and Greg looked up. He saw James on the ground, eyes open, dead. Richard stood over his dead brother's body. For a moment, nobody wanted to move.

Finally, Detective Brass walked over to Richard and slapped a pair of handcuffs on him. Brass took him to a car and put him in there. Five other officers ran into the building, despite Brass telling them not to. Greg stood up and looked around himself.

Three officers laid on the ground dead. He looked at the building and to his horror saw that half of it was collapsed on the ground into pieces. He gasped at the massive damage done. He wanted to throw up his insides when he realized that everyone he knew was in that building.

He ran towards the building, not letting the pain in his head stop him, until he heard Brass.

" Greg! Don't go in there," Brass shouted to him. " It's too dangerous."

Greg stopped in his tracks and turned around.

" Wait over there," Brass pointed. " Officer, wait over there with him until the bomb squad arrives."

The officer led Greg away from the scene.

Brass pulled out a walkie-talkie and called the ambulances and bomb squad to come.

Greg waited, looking for someone to come out of the building. Within a few minutes, the ambulances came, followed shortly by the bomb squad. The paramedics ran into the building with their gear. Anticipation filled Greg as he waited for them to bring out someone, dead or alive.

Bomb squad members also went through the building looking for and other bombs. Two members looked at Greg, checking out the device on his arm.

Finally, someone came out of the building. Nick limped out, followed by Catherine.

One of the squad members by Greg called out, " We gotta live one!"

The paramedics led Nick and Catherine away from Greg. Nick shot Greg a look of disgust. Greg stood looking at the ground feeling like the lowest person in the world.


	8. If Only You knew

Chapter 8: If Only You Knew

The two squad members disarmed the device and sent him with a paramedic. The paramedic led him into an empty ambulance and took him away.

The medic started to clean Greg's wounds when he asked him to stop.

" You need to have that head wound checked out," the medic said.

" Just let me waive that right. I don't care," Greg said.

The medic pleaded with Greg, trying to let him look at his head. But Greg didn't care anymore. He didn't want any help, despite the fact he had a concussion. Nick thought Greg had caused the building to collapse. Maybe he was had.

The medic, finally tired of arguing, handed Greg a clipboard with a form to waive medical attention. Greg signed the form without a second glance.

The ambulance arrived at Desert Palms hospital and let Greg out. Just as he had got out, another ambulance arrived right behind his. Two medics hopped out and together they lifted out a gurney with Warrick on it. He looked as though he was on his last breath, fighting to live for just one more moment. The paramedics rushed him into surgery to save his life.Sara and Grissom followed right behind Warrick's gurney, not noticing Greg. Greg hoped Warrick would be okay. He truly hoped so.

Greg stayed outside. He wanted to avoid everyone for as long as possible. Greg knew he was the one to blame. He pushed the button. He did it. He helped kill three officers. He was a murderer. He did it all.

Greg beat himself up mentally for causing everything. James had been right. He was pathetic and Nick had every right to hate him. Greg walked into the hospital looking for an signs of Catherine, Grissom, or Sara. He stood by the trauma windows, watching as the doctors fought to save Warrick's life. They rushed around the table, pushing I.V.s of blood in to his weak body.

Greg watched helplessly, his hands on the window like a little kid staring at the puppy in the window. He had to tear himself away from the window so he wouldn't get sick from watching. He walked around, looking for someone, anyone he knew. He found Grissom and Sara's room. Nick was sitting with Sara talking to her. Catherine sat with Grissom, who was asleep.

He caught some of Nick and Sara's conversation, wishing he hadn't.

" Greg set it off. I heard the bomb squad say he was live. He had more than one on him. He could've killed us all if he had set off another," Nick told Sara. Her eyes widened in disbelief. She didn't want to think that Greg could have killed them.

A nurse was behind Greg and needed to get in.

" Excuse me, young man. I need to get through," she said.

Nick turned around at the nurse's voice. Instead he saw Greg. He became very angry.

" You," Nick said, " get the hell out of here."

Catherine looked around to Nick. Nick go up and walked up to Greg and pushed him.

" You feel better Greg? I tried to help you from those guys and how do you say thanks? You decide to blow the goddamn building up. I hope you're happy."

Greg turned around and ran out the door, almost knocking down a cart.

" Yeah, you keep running. I never want to see your face again!" Nick yelled after him.

"Nick, It wasn't his fault." Catherine said.

" What do you mean it wasn't his fault?" Nick asked.

" He didn't do by choice. Brass called me to say that Richard had been arrested. Those men came in there knowing exactly what they were going to do. Greg just happened to be the guy they picked. You should know Greg better than that. Of all people, you two know each other best. He wouldn't ever hurt anyone on purpose. This is Greg we're talking about. Not Richard or James. Greg. The lab tech who plays his music too loud just to get on Grissom's nerves, and purposely put clashing outfits together. Nick. You gotta go after him. He's your friend. He's gonna end up doing something stupid if you don't apologize. Don't make the wrong decision Nick. You'll hate yourself forever," Catherinetold Nick.


	9. NinetyNine Bottles of Beer on The Wall

Chapter 9: Ninety- Nine Bottle of Beer on the Wall

Greg kept running and didn't look back. He ran past the casinos, the tourists, the hotels, the glamour, the lights, the dealers, and the hookers. He kept running until he tasted blood in his mouth and his legs were tired. His heart beat like a racehorse.

He ran till he was at the far edge of town. It was the dark side of town. The side of town parents kept their children from. This was the side of town nobody wanted to be in at anytime of the day.

He walked in to a bar and had a seat at the counter. Though there were few people there, they still stared at him.

The bartender asked what he wanted and Greg asked for anything. The bartender gave him a couple of beers. Greg drank them like they were water on a hot summer day. He asked for a couple more but sipped them slower and watched the news. The headline was the lab explosion. He finally got to see the inside of the lab post explosion and it made his heart stop. There was nothing left. Glass scattered the blackened ground, equipment everywhere like toys, and chairs tipped over. Greg thought he recognized his lab, but it was hard to tell. It looked just like everything else in the building.

James voice rang in his ear, " You're pathetic. You friends think so too."

Greg sat at the bar, becoming more and more drunk. His pile of empty bottles grew and he could hardly keep his head up. He finally got up and threw bills on the counter to pay for his tab. He stumbled out of the bar on to the sidewalk. He walked until he saw the main street. Greg could walk no more, so he called a cab.

" Where to?" the cabbie asked.

" To the Crime Lab," Greg replied.

" But it's a crime scene," the cabbie said.

" It's okay, I work there," Greg pointed to his identification.

" Alright," the cabbie said driving down the street.

The car passed the Mirage, the Palms, and Caesar's Palace. The neon lights of the hotels hurt his eyes and made him dizzy.

The cab finally arrived at the lab with its yellow crime scene tape.

" $12.31," the cabbie said.

Greg handed him a twenty and said, " Keep the change."

He stumbled out of the cab and shut the door. He watched as the cab drove off into the Las Vegas night.

There were no cops at the scene, just him. Greg crossed the yellow tape and sat down in front of the building. The only thing left of the building not affected by the explosion was the stairs. He sat on the stairs in silence and darkness for quite some time. He had half a mind to walk through the building, but some sensible voice in his head told him no.

He hated himself. He hated what he had done. He hated that he had been used.

Somebody's voice interrupted his thoughts.

" Greg? Is that you?"

" Whose there? Go away," Greg said.

" Greg, it's me, Grissom," he said.

" What do you want?" Greg asked, slurring his words. " I thought you were at the hospital,"

" Catherine told me you might be here," Grissom said. " There was nothing too wrong with me. I got lucky. We all did."

" What do you want? I have no use left to you," Greg said, stumbling over his words.

Grissom shook his head, " Greg, you're drunk."

" So, who cares if I am? I don't," he said.

Grissom sighed.

"Come back with me to the hospital and see Warrick"

"No, just let me be."

But Greg let Grissom take him to the cab.

" I hope you weren't expecting to drive you're car home," Grissom said with a slight smile.

They buckled up and headed back to the hospital. Greg's head pounded so he leaned his head back against the seat. Grissom watched Greg try to stay awake and smiled sadly. He hated to see him like that.

" Greg, when we get there, have someone look at your head. Catherine told me you got it banged up pretty bad," Grissom said.

Greg nodded his head but made no sound.


	10. Can We Put This Behind Us?

Chapter 10: CanWe Put This Behind Us?

The arrived at the hospital and went to Warrick's room. Greg expected to see Nick waiting there to insult him. But he was inside the room with everyone else. Greg stopped in front of the door, but didn't go in.

" No, I can't go in," Greg said, walking away.

" Greg," Grissom called.

Nick, Sara, and Catherine turned to Grissom's voice.

" Well, I found him. But he won't go in," Grissom told them.

" Nick, go get him. Tell him your sorry," Catherine said.

Nick nodded and got up from his seat and walked out the door.

Greg walked down the hallway. He didn't want to go in. Not now, maybe later. He found the bathroom and went in to a stall. The alcohol finally hit him hard. He threw up several times, starting to regret having drunk so much.

" No more alcohol," he grumbled.

" I sure hope not," said someone behind him. It was Nick. " I don't think I like drunk Greg as much as I like the regular Greg I know."

" I didn't think you liked me at all. I thought you hated me," Greg said.

" I was wrong Greg. I had everything wrong. I could never hate you. Nothing in the world could make me hate you. Catherine explained everything to me and I was wrong. Nothing was your fault, except maybe being a little goofy at times," Nick said.

Tears fell from both Greg and Nick's eyes. With a combination of the kidnapping and explosion, emotions had run high.

" Come here bro," Nick said holding Greg.

Greg let Nick hold him like a little kid and didn't complain. He didn't want anyone to be mad at him.

"How's Warrick?" Greg finally asked.

"He's doing okay," Nick said. " I think after a while, we'll all be okay…including you, if you don't drink anymore."

" I promise not to," Greg said, laughing for the first time during the day.

" C'mon, let's go see Warrick, so he can see your ugly mug," Nick teased.

" Alright, but who says I'm ugly? The ladies love me." Greg said.

" Whatever," Nick laughed.

They left the bathroom and went to visit Warrick. Although the days events would leave some scars, they were willing to forget their misunderstanding and put it behind them.


End file.
